Awning structure



Dec. 2, 1958 J BQTTQM 2,862,260

' AWNING STRUCTURE Filed May 28, 1957 I NVENTOR THEODORE a BOTTOM TTORNEYS nited States Patent AWNING STRUCTURE Theodore J. Bottom, Kirkwood, Mo. Application March 28, 1957, Serial No. 649,028 4 Claims. (Cl. 20-575) This invention relates generally to improvements in an awning structure, and more particularly to improved means for positioning and attaching a fringe strip to an awning assembly.

It is an important objective of the present invention to provide means in an awning structure that serve to position and maintain accurately a fringe strip relative to roof and side panels incident to securely fastening such strip.

Another important object is realized by a structural arrangement and connection of a fringe strip with various panels of the awning assembly which affords an improved appearance over other awnings utilizing a fringe strip of the general type described.

Still other important objects are realized in that the structural attachment of the fringe strip is simple and durable, enables an economy in manufacture and assembly of the awning parts, and permits an accurate, positive alignment of the fringe strip with the cooperating awning elements.

Yet other important objects and advantages are realized by the structural formation of certain portions of the awning roof and side panels and their cooperation with a particular fringe strip structure which enables the fringe strip to be precisely arranged relative to such panels incident to attachment.

The foregoing and numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, particularly when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1,is a perspective view of an awning assembly;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in cross section, as seen along line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in cross section, as seen along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing, and first to Fig. 1, the awning assembly shown consists generally of a stepped roof panel indicated at connected to opposed side panels referred to at 11 by a connecting means indicated at 12. A fringe strip 13 is attached to roof and side panels Ill-11 in a manner which will be fully described later.

The roof panel 10 consists of a plurality of stepped portions 14 connected by integral downturned longitudinally arranged web portions 15, the roof panel 10 being arranged in a downwardly and outwardly sloping position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Further, the roof panel lil includes a depending vertical front wall portion 16, the lower margin of which is provided with an inturned flange 17.

A narrow channel strip is located in inverted position on the under side of each lateral margin of the roof panel 10. The channel strip 20 is secured to the roof panel 10 by a plurality of screws. Located and retained within the opposed side walls of channel strip 20 is the side panel 11. A plurality of screws fix the side panel 11 to channel strip 20. The side panel 11 consists of a stepped 2,862,260 Patented Dec. 2, 1958 formation having downwardly and outwardly sloping portions 21 connected by integral, inturned web portions 22, and a depending side wall 19. The lower margin of side panel 11 is inturned to provide an inturned flange 23, best shown in Fig. 3, which is preferably arranged and disposed in the same horizontal plane as inturned flange 17 formed on the front wall 16 of roof panel 10.

The fringe strip 13 consists of a front portion 24 and angularly related side portions 25. Front portion 24 of fringe strip 13 includes a wall 26 depending below the front Wall 16 of the roof panel, and an inwardly and reversely bent portion 27 that provides a flange-receiving groove adapted to engage and retain the inturned flange 17. Further, the front portion 24 includes an integral upwardly extending upper wall 30 adapted to engage the back side of front roof portion 16, and includes an inturned upper margin 31 spaced upwardly from the reversely bent portion 27.

Each side wall portion 25 of fringe strip 13 is constructed similarly to front wall portion 24. The side wall portion 25 consists of a depending wall 32 located below side wall 19 of side panel 11, and an inturned and reversely bent portion 33 that provides a flange-receiving groove that is preferably disposed in the same horizontal plane and formed as a continuation of the reversely bent portion 27 of the front fringe portion 24. Further, the side fringe portion 25 includes an integral wall 34 extending upwardly from reversely bent portion 33 and arranged to engage the back side of side panel wall 19, and includes an inturned upper margin 35 that is upwardly spaced'from reversely bent portion 33.

The retaining means provided to fix the fringe strip securely to the roof and side panels consists of a tubular element 36, of substantially square cross section as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, placed between the reversely bent portion 27 and inturned upper margin 31 of front fringe portion 24 and between the reversely bent portion 33 and inturned upper margin 35 of side fringe portion 25. The tubular element seats on the reversely bent portions 27 and 33 and engages the upwardly extending walls 30 and 34. A plurality of screw elements 37 extend through front roof wall 16 and upper wall 30 and project internally of the tubular element portion 36 that seats on reversely bent portion 27 of the front fringe portion 24,

and similar screws 37 extend through side panel wall 19 and upper wall 34 of side fringe portion 25 and extend internally of the tubular element portion seating on reversely bent portion 33. The screws 37 cooperate with the tubular element 36 in clamping the fringe strip to the roof and side panels.

The particular structure of fringe strip 13 and its cooperation With certain flanges formed on the roof and side panels enables the fringe strip to be quickly and accurately aligned in position relative to such roof and side panels and retained in such position while the strip is securely fastened. Moreover, it is seen that this par ticular structural arrangement avoids any raw edges in the connection of such members and hence improves the outward appearance.

It is thought that the assembly and connection of the fringe strip 13 has become fully apparent from the foregoing detailed description of parts, but for completeness so that the inturned flanges 23 enter the flange-receiving grooves provided by reversely bent portions 33. The engagement of the inturned flanges and reversely bent portions of the fringe strip securely hold the strip in the '3 desired position relative to the roof and side panels. This connection completely avoids any necessity for manually holding the fringe strip in position relative to the roof and side panels incident to attachment.

Then, the tubular element 36 is placed between the reversely bent portions 27 and 35 and the inturned upper margins 31 and 35. Since the tubular element 36 seats on the reversely bent portions 27 and 33 the particular location of the tubular element is precisely determined. Then, a plurality of spaced screw holes may be drilled and screws 37 inserted and tightened to clamp the fringe strip 13 to the roof and side panels as described above.

Although the invention has been described by making detailed reference to a single preferred embodiment, such detail is to be understood in an instructive, rather than in any restrictive sense, many variants being possible within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an awning structure having a downwardly and forwardly sloping roof panel and adapted to be secured to a building, a vertical front wall depending from the lower end of said panel, said wall having an inturned flange, a fringe strip depending from the lower end of said wall contiguous to and in the same plane as said wall and forming therewith an uninterrupted front surface, said fringe strip having a rearwardly extending reversely bent U-shaped portion with substantially parallel sides to provide a snugly fitting flange-receiving groove, the inturned flange being located in said groove to hold and .position the fringe strip incident to attachment, said U-shaped portion having an upwardly extending wall lying flat against the rear face of said front wall, and fastening means extending through said front wall and upwardly extending wall.

2. In an awning structure having a downwardly and forwardly sloping roof panel and adapted to be secured to a building, a vertical front wall depending from the lower end of said panel, said wall having an inturned flange, a fringe strip depending from the lower end of said Wall contiguous to and in the same plane as said wall and forming therewith an uninterrupted front surface, said fringe strip having a rearwardly extending reversely bent U-shaped portion with substantially parallel sides to provide a snugly fitting flange-receiving groove, the inturned flange being located in said groove to hold and position the fringe strip incident to attachment, said U-shaped portion having an upwardly extending wall lying flat against the rear face of said front wall, a retaining element seating on said U-shaped portion and engaging said upwardly extending wall, and fastening means ex- 4 tending through said front wall, upwardly extending wall and said retaining element.

3. In an awning structure having a downwardly and forwardly sloping roof panel and adapted to be secured to a building, a vertical front wall depending from the lower end of said panel, said wall having an inturned flange, a fringe strip depending from the lower end of said wall contiguous to and in the same plane as said wall and forming therewith an uninterrupted front surface, said fringe strip having a rearwardly extending reversely bent U-shaped portion with parallel sides to provide a snugly fitting flange-receiving groove, the inturned flange being located in said groove to hold and position the fringe strip incident to attachment, said U-shaped portion having an upwardly extending wall lying flat against the rear face of said front wall, said upper wall having an inturned portion spaced above said U-shaped portion, a retaining element fitted in the space between the inturned portion and the U-shaped portion and engaging said upwardly extending wall, and fastening means extending through said front wall, upwardly extending wall and said retaining element.

4.'In an awning structure adapted to be secured to a building, having a downwardly and forwardly sloping roof panel and a vertical front wall depending from the lower end of the roof panel, a side panel having a vertical side wall at its lower end adjacent said front wall, means connecting said side and roof panels, said front and side walls each having an inturned flange, a fringe strip having angularly related front and side portions depending from the lower ends of said front and side walls, contiguous to and in the same planes as said front and side walls, respectively, and forming therewith uninterrupted front and outer side surfaces, respectively, said fringe strip having an inturned reversely bent U-shaped portion with parallel sides to provide a snugly fitting flange-receiving groove, the inturned flanges of the side and front walls being located in said groove to hold the fringe strip in position incident to attachment, said U- shaped portion having upwardly extending wall portions lying flat against the rear and inner faces of said front and side walls, respectively, and fastening means extending through said front and side walls and said upstanding wall portions. 

